Murder of the Cruelest Degree
by AB Firestar
Summary: Hinata and Sasuke. Lose something and be empty forever? Or lose it to save it forever. Read, you know you want to.


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Fear drove her with force that no adrenaline or pain could ever possibly do. She ran through the thick sheets of rain that blinded even her bloodline limit, stumbling from the immeasurable strength in her legs, fueled by fear.

Fear of losing him.

Falling hard to her knees in mud and rushing water, Hinata grimaced but stood up hastily and hurried over to their apartment where her heart knew her very life was in danger of disappearing. Her pulse pounded in her ears, blocking the roar of thunder and sound of yells behind her.

He taught her well, she could surpass them. Forcing herself to go beyond the speed that the gods had given her and shifted into the gear he had unleashed in her, the Hyuuga left behind reality instilled in chasing men and paid no attention to the colors dancing past her.

Knowing where she was, she resumed normal agility and dashed up the stairs, the strong scent of death and dying hitting her strongly. The door was but a few yards away and despite wearing that constricting kimono, Hinata covered the distance shortly and rushed into her apartment.

"Sasuke!" She looked frantically for the love of her life but one glance at the floor and she found the trail to him. Thick blood waved a staggering a line to a room and with a pounding heart in her throat, Hinata scattered to the bedroom, slamming the door right open.

Eyes widened at the sight.

Dead.

A dead man lay sprawled on the cold tile, blood dragging from out underneath him.

Tears furiously released themselves from her pale, frightened eyes and she moved to where he was, lying in his death.

But an arm flashed out and grabbed her, roughly turning her to face the possessor. A scream went to escape from her lungs but she froze and breathed back into life.

"Sasuke!"

Frightened, she hugged him tightly, burying her face deep into his shirt where a chest heaved tiredly but was firm. She didn't feel him wince nor hear his hagged breathing, she could not see his furious eyes that hid exhaustion, she could not understand anything but the fact that he was alive and she was in his arms.

Her sobs wrecked her petite body, fingers tightly clutching his shirt to never let go. Hell itself could reel its nasty face into her vicinity, roar in seven different demonic tones at once and threaten to swallow the village whole if she did not let go of Sasuke Uchiha and that alone would not loosen her deathly grip on her lover, her life.

"Hinata, look at me." His voice was firm but an undertone of concern lay there and he pulled her from the embrace to peer into her tear-stained face. Red irises bore into pale lilac and it hurt him more than the stab of a sword he had received recently. He could feel her hands cling to him, fear resounding in every fiber of the woman he loved but now and then was not the time to fall to pieces.

"Sasuke, t-t-they're coming h-here." She whimpered, small lips quivering as she spoke. He nodded quickly, knowing that time was running from him.

"I know. Listen to me...I have to go."

Hinata froze and silence endeavored between them. Pain etched over her pale conformation and she bit down on her lip to hold back a sob...and nodded.

"I u-u-understand..."

A firm hand cupped her cheek and he watched solemnly the beauty he would leave behind. Watched her eyes look and take in every little detail of his face, never wanting to forget what she would never see again for...

"When w-w-will y--" Her question drowned between his lips pressed against hers, emotions besides rage and pain burning between them.

He pulled back, holding her teary face between his dirtied hands and looked fiercely into her eyes. "I love you. Do you understand me? I love you."

Hinata broke with the words that he had never said to her before. Never.

Her tears raced down once more and she reached for him, shaking her head as she doubted his decision. "S-Sasuke please d-don--"

"I won't die without seeing you again. Do you hear me? Hinata," he held her at arm's length, holding her from moving in and losing what sanity she had left. "I won't."

Pained but never selfish, even if it meant losing what was her breath to breathe, Hinata nodded again, grimacing as though the pain of agreeing with his disappearance was physically painful. "I...I love you, Sasuke."

Sasuke abruptly pulled her in and wrapped his arms tightly around her, feeling her shake within his hold and rested his head against the top of hers and memorized the scent of sweet lilies and the form of her slender body. He would miss waking up to the sight of peace next to him, he would miss the gentle smile and the soft giggling, he would miss her gentle sighs and the way she'd say his name, he would miss the way her chest rose and fell when asleep, the way her eyes always brightened upon seeing him, the way she'd blush whenever he'd look at her for long moments, the feel of her fingertips brushing down his back, the soft texture of her rosy lips, her slightly turned bottom canine and the one beauty mark on her side of her right ankle.

He'd miss the reason to live.

Not wanting to stain her anymore with the blood that she would never realize was his own, he leaned down and breathed what words would be his last to Hinata.

"I'd die a thousand deaths...and live a thousand more eternities in hell...just to hold you like this..."

He softly nudged his nose across her tender cheek, letting softened obsidian eyes look into hers once more.

And departed from her touch.

Without a moment left between, Hinata watched Sasuke turn and take a few steps away before vanishing into smoke. Her knees collapsed from under the dead weight and she fell to the floor, closing her eyes tightly as she bled tears silently. If she could close her eyes forever she would see him perfectly. Like she did right then...like if he was there as he had been.

Like he was simply Sasuke Uchiha and she was Hinata Uchiha.

_I won't die without seeing you again..._

She would promise him that.

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**A/N: **Thanks to everyone who reviewed "LOVERS' DAY" ! I really am grateful for all the reviews and I'm so happy that you guys liked it! As well as "THE FIRST OF MANY"! Although for TFoM, I simply have to leave it as a one-shot. I don't think I can match nor surpass what creativity took ahold of me when I wrote that. Mostly because TFoM was written was I was absolutely driven by...something that I can't even remember. ::nervous chuckle:: 

Anyway! THIS fic, I am surely going to do another chapter on. The reason being that my motivation for this story was the song "It's Not Over" by Chris Daughtry (especially the line that sings, "this love is killing me but you're the only one") and after not being satisfied with how I wrote this, I am going to continue it. I have like...4 different stories all surrounding the same idea. 

Well, here's the idea. Since I didn't write the plot of the story into this first chapter, I am going to explain it in the second one! Or maybe I should tell you now...but truth be told, there are some holes to the plot so I have to think it through ::another nervous chuckle:: 

Well, that's all! Hope you enjoyed this one and please review! Even if it is, "OMG! CUTE!" and that's it. It could even be "WOW." And I'd be happy. Because I'm a loser like that. 

--- AB Firestar 


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